Thursday 13 December 2018

The Old Library, Stourbridge - Be Part of Something Special


Opportunities to live with both historical and contemporary elegance are few and far between.

The Old Library in Stourbridge is a building that has enjoyed a rich and fascinating past as a key local landmark and now plays host to twenty-two, sumptuously appointed, one and two bedroom apartments.

Built in 1905 with funds donated by wealthy industrialist Andrew Carnegie, the building has been used as both a library and an educational establishment. Built of distinctive red brick, this Grade II listed building boasts many original architectural features including ornamental, terracotta detailing to the façade and beautiful stained-glass windows.

Skilfully harmonising past and present, Claremont Property Group are proud to breathe new life into this important building with a collection of homes built for modern life.












The Building



“Stourbridge Library dates back to the Edwardian Era, it is a magnificent example of public building architecture, with beautiful proportioned windows, features and fabulous stained glass.


Our job as designers is to celebrate the modernity of contemporary living with the traditional aspects of the building.
 The open plan living space has a very contemporary soft grey handle-less kitchen with a minimal solid surface work top. Gentle, modern colours and furnishings of the show-home have been chosen to complement the strength of the powerful arched windows. Stripped oak style floors have been used throughout to give a contemporary feel. 

Cutting edge light-fittings and accessories have been used to show the full potential of creating an individual and stylish apartment.
The show-home boasts a mezzanine style bedroom which architecturally dissects the living space exaggerating the enormous height and uniqueness of these apartments. 
The bathrooms are designed in a contemporary style, with modern sanitary ware, taps and showers, with minimal shower screens, warmth and interest are added by the use of calm coloured geometric feature wall tiles.”
Suzanne Barnes MA

The Location

Situated approximately 15 miles* to the west of Birmingham and 12 miles* to the south of Wolverhampton, Stourbridge has long been the retreat of those who want to live close enough to amenities but far enough away from the big city bustle.

Full of history and colour, Stourbridge was famed for its glass making, the roots of which can be traced back to the early 1600s. Stourbridge glass is still recognised as amongst the finest in the world and is regularly gifted to royalty and visiting dignitaries.

The town has always been synonymous with creativity and is home to 90s indie bands The Wonder Stuff, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin and Pop Will Eat Itself. Led Zeppelin front man Robert Plant, was also brought up nearby and attended school in Stourbridge.

Embodying the best of both worlds, Stourbridge has a thriving town centre but is also close to the countryside, meaning weekend walks on the Clent Hills or Kinver Edge are just a short drive away.

The Old Library occupies an excellent central position, across the road from the town’s main High Street with its mix of shops, bars and restaurants. The development is also just a few minutes’ minute walk to Stourbridge Town station which runs a regular shuttle service to Stourbridge Junction station and the wider rail network. The motorway network is also within easy reach with M5, Junction 4, approximately a 20-minute drive away.*

*All times and distances quoted are approximate and subject to traffic conditions.

Key features of The Old Library 


  • Beautiful Grade II listed building with many original features
  • 5% deposit required through ‘Help To Buy’
  • 10 Year structural guarantee 
  • Energy efficient LED lighting throughout
  • Custom-design fitted kitchens with soft closers 
  • Quality integrated appliances
  • White custom-design bathrooms and en-suites
  • Secure door entry system 
  • Wall-mounted thermostatically controlled electric radiators
  • Convenient location close to Stourbridge Town Centre, Transport Interchange and Railway Stations

From £135,000


For more information, please contact Lex Allan Grove - Land & New Homes on 01562 270072 or e-mail lnh@lexallangrove.com, or just pop into the Lex Allan Stourbridge office opposite!


 









Thursday 6 December 2018

Struggling to sell? Our guide to help you move on successfully













When you have your home up for sale, time seems to stand still. You’re in limbo, caught between your old life, and your new one, with no way of knowing when you’ll be able to move on - both literally and emotionally.

As the weeks turn into months, and the viewings dry up, it’s easy to become despondent and dispirited. Especially when you see house after house in your area sell, even those that came to the market long after your house did.

You can’t define why no one seems to want your house; you chose a professional estate agent; your asking price is about right; you have kept your house looking lovely for viewers, so what’s gone wrong?

Firstly, you’re not alone. Since 1991 we have worked with homeowners that have also been completely demoralised by their inability to move on. With some discreet research, we have often found that their marketing strategy was flawed, and their online presence sadly lacking in quality; none of which was their fault.

Secondly, if you find yourself in this position, with a lack of viewings, having had your house on the market for months or even years, our ‘Re-launch Strategy’ will refresh your marketing - and hopefully your motivation too - and get your house sold for the price you want.


Time to start again

We suggest a return to basics. In essence, you are going to pretend you have never tried to sell, and instead plan a launch of your home to the market. This time though, every aspect of your marketing campaign will be perfect, right from the start.

Take your house off the market - This probably feels counter-intuitive, but it can help to revitalise your home sale. A break from the market has several advantages: it gives you a break, it stops your house becoming stale and it gives you the chance to take stock and plan a launch properly.

Give your agent notice - If your agent demands a notice period, then give them formal notice in writing; you can always rescind this later if you change your mind. Ask that during the notice period your house be withdrawn from any online advertising. This will give you the space you need to start planning your re-launch.

Prepare your home properly - Make sure your home is ready for photography and viewings. Perhaps this is a step that you rushed or even overlooked the first time you put your property on the market, but it’s vital you spend time and effort, and even money, on this very important preparation for marketing.

Consider marketing your home with a new estate agent - The estate agency you have used to market your home previously may not be the best to re-launch your house to market effectively. After all, they have tried and failed to sell your property.

Whatever the reason, their motivation and enthusiasm for selling your home after trying for some time without success, is bound to be low. Sometimes you just need an agent with a fresh attitude and new enthusiasm to add new life into a marketing campaign.

Don’t just choose the agent with the lowest fee and highest valuation. Take a considered view on their professionalism, their success locally, and whether you like them or not. After all, you’re going to be working quite closely with them for some time.

Review your photographs - Take a critical and if you can, objective view of the photography used by your last agent or agents to market your home. Is it really good enough? Look at the photographs of the best homes marketed online by Savills, Knight Frank and the other premium agents. Does it compare, or do your images look like the agent has just snapped them in a hurry on their small point-and-shoot?

The ‘write’ way to sell your house - Once you have your home presented beautifully and some gorgeous photographs, the next step is to turn your attention to your written description. The words used to describe your home in your brochure and online advert need to persuade a buyer it’s worth the time and effort to view your home.

Name your price - The final decision to make before you are ready to re-launch your home to the market, is the asking price. Ask yourself:

Does your agent support it?If you set your asking price way above that which the agent recommends, their lack of support could well be evident in the way they talk about your property to their team and also to buyers

Is there precedent?If your home is unique, there may well be a lack of comparable properties, and therefore you have much more flexibility in the price you choose to market your home at. However, if you are in a row of similar properties, chances are that there will be plenty of historical evidence to guide you into choosing an asking price that fits in with those of your neighbouring properties.

Does it fit in with an online search?  Currently, 93% of property searches start online (source: Rightmove). You need to choose an asking price that will ensure your home is found by the maximum number of buyers searching the property portals. To maximise the number of buyers who will see your property, stay away from the 9s, such as £499,999, and instead choose a rounded figure that fits in with the price bandings the online portals use, such as £500,000.

Ready, Steady, Launch! You’re ready to launch, this time, with success!

Taking back control of your property sale can feel empowering and motivating. The steps might be simple, but not necessarily easy.  And that’s where we come in.

If you’re struggling to sell your home, maybe we can help you to move on. Let’s have a chat so we can understand your moving plans and guide you through the options. You can pop us an email or call us at the following locations:

Stourbridgesales@lexallan.co.uk  01384 442464
Halesoweninfo@lexallangrove.com  0121 550 5400
Hagleyhagley@lexallangrove.com  01562 270270

We also have lots more information about selling your home in the Stourbridge, Halesowen and Hagley areas at www.lexallangrove.com

Wednesday 21 November 2018

Dress your home to impress your viewers


When your house is for sale, it’s exciting to get a viewing booked.
After all, that viewer could become a buyer!

It’s important then to make sure your house is looking its absolute best, and dressed to impress, so we’ve created a three-step guide to make it easy for you to get the important things right:
 

Step 1: Check your kerb appeal

If your viewer doesn’t love the look of your home from the front, they may never get past the front door!

  • How’s your front door looking? Smarten it up with a new coat of paint and make sure your handle and letterbox are relatively new.
  • Check your lights. If you’re showing your home in the evening, you need to make sure your buyer doesn’t trip on their way in! Make sure your outside lamps are working and clean.
  • Keep your path, driveway or steps swept of leaves, and free from rubbish. Park vehicles neatly and put away bikes and toys out of sight.
  • House name or number - is it straight and clean? Make sure your viewers can find your home easily, without stress.
  • Windows - keep them sparkling clean and make sure there’s no flaking paint or greying uPVC.
  • Green stuff - even if your front space is tiny, plant a creeper or buy plants in pots to add colour and interest.
So now you have your outside looking wonderful, it’s time to move inside…
 

Step 2: Giving your interior the WOW factor.

Styling the interior of your home to make it more attractive for viewings doesn’t have to be expensive. We’ve put together a list of a few home styling accessories that will add some stylish polish your viewer will love:


  • Cushions - a really easy way to instantly update that fading suite and add colour, texture and interest at the same time.
  • Rugs - a large, deep rug can transform a room, adding warmth and style.  You don’t have to spend a fortune on them; eBay shops are full of large fluffy rugs for less than you might think. Stick to neutral colours to add a sense of spaciousness.
  • Fruit - fill a big glass bowl or wide vase full of just one type of fruit for instant contemporary style. Oranges, green apples or lemons look wonderful.
  • Flowers - long elegant Cala lilies look great on a large dining table, and little hand-tied posies are just right for a rustic kitchen.  Choose carefully for maximum impact.
  • Toiletries - invest in luxury, and just keep them out for viewings.
  • New bedding - especially for the master bedroom, where it matters most to your buyers.  Go for plain, neutral designs, then add some cushions and a textured throw.  Voila! A hotel-style bedroom your viewers will adore.
  • Towels - used towels never quite look the same as brand new ones, so treat your home to some gorgeous new towels, and make sure that no one uses them – they’re just for show!  Whip them away and hide them after each viewing so they stay looking their best.

Step 3: A final check

Here’s a final checklist to make sure your viewers have the best possible experience of viewing your home:

  • Shut all your doors - let the viewers open them, so each room becomes a little ‘surprise’.
  • Laundry - check radiators and put away clothes maidens to hide all signs of domestic chores.
  • Pets - if you have a cat litter tray, put it outside or in the garage, out of sight. If you have a dog and you can persuade someone to take it for a walk, it would save a viewer being distracted by sloppy licks - especially if they’re a non-dog lover. Also move Fido’s bed, food bowl or anything else out of the way.
  • Open windows - unless it’s really cold, it’s nice to have some fresh air in the house.
  • Is it warm enough? You may have been rushing around doing last minute tidying, but your viewers need a warm, welcoming home to look around, so err on the side of warmer is better.
  • Put all toilet seats down - enough said!

So your home is looking wonderful - inside and out, and you’ve checked to make sure your viewers don’t see anything they shouldn’t. What’s next?  Atmosphere! That elusive element that can put your viewers at ease and relax them so that they enjoy viewing your home.  Light some lightly-scented candles and make sure your lamps are all lit to create a lovely warm glow. If you have a fire – real or otherwise – light it around half an hour before time. Playing some soft music in the background is a nice touch, and if it has a slow beat, it could even help persuade your viewers to linger – just long enough to fall in love with your home! If you’re selling your home - or thinking of it, we’d love to have a chat with you. You can pop us an email at sales@lexallan.co.uk or call us on 01384 442464 for Stourbridge, 0121 550 5400 for Halesowen, or 01562 270270 for Hagley.  We also have lots more information about selling your home here www.lexallangrove.com



Tuesday 5 June 2018

A great example of what our clients have to say about us...

A very nice e-mail we've just received from a very happy client, posted here exactly as it came in.


"Hi Lex,
Please can you pass on our thanks to your whole team for all their hard work.


We were really apprehensive taking on selling our house, a plot of land and buying a house all in one go as we are both very busy people and thought it was going to be really stressful but we couldn’t of chosen a better, more professional estate agent to work with.


You made the whole experience not only exciting and enjoyable but stress free. The knowledge you have regarding selling land as well as residential properties is phenomenal!


I loved the way both Pam and Jessica took the time to visit our home just so they could have first hand experience to answer any potential buyer questions.


Stuart was fantastic!! He always kept us well informed with what was going on and made a quick sale on our house. He sold it within 2 days!!The fact you have really good contacts with most solicitors made the whole process stress free especially as you found us our new home and from the day we had the offer excepted we had the keys exactly 2 weeks later. This is unheard of, when I tell people they can’t believe it!


So all in all we can’t Thank you and your team enough and we have been recommending you to everyone we know and will continue to do so.


Thank you again.


Mark and Caroline I."